1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door lock device for a vehicle, comprising: a latch mechanism having a latch which can be rotated to pass a half-latch state where the door is half closed and reach a full-latch state where the door is fully closed while the door is operated from an opened state to a closed state; a closer mechanism capable of forcedly turning the latch from the half-latch state to the full-latch state; and an actuator having an electric motor and driving the closer mechanism with power generated by the electric motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a door lock device for a vehicle has already been disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3180039 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-106023. In the door lock device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3180039, a closer mechanism and an actuator are disposed in an extending support part connected substantially at right angles to the casing of a latch mechanism. Also, in the door lock device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-106023, a closer mechanism and an actuator are disposed so as to be superposed on a latch mechanism.
Both the door lock devices disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3180039 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-106023 have a disadvantage when being disposed in a limited space in a door because the entire door lock device is liable to be large.
In addition, the door lock device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3180039 has a disadvantage when being disposed in a limited space in the door because the closer mechanism is large and complicated.